| Website | http://blockchain.capital/ |
| Assets Under Management | |
| Minimum Investment | |
| Raise Goal | |
| Status | |
| YTD Return | 1Lock |
| Lifetime Return | 1Lock |
| Number of Investors | 1Lock |
Strategy:
Blockchain Capital is a pioneer and the premier venture capital firm investing in Blockchain enabled technology companies. Our initial fund was the first VC Fund dedicated to the Bitcoin/Blockchain ecosystem, launched in the Fall of 2013, and was also the first fund to accept capital calls in Bitcoin. Based in San Francisco, Blockchain Capital invests in the best entrepreneurs who are fostering innovation in the Blockchain economy.
The firm has invested in more than 50 companies in the last 4 years, investing alongside Silicon Valley’s leading venture capital firms. They are a sector-specific, but multi-stage venture capital investor that seeks to gain diverse exposure to the Blockchain economy while offering unique co-investment opportunities and proprietary deal flow to our investors.
Team:
P. Bart Stephens, Managing Partner, and Co-founder
Bart Stephens is a Founder and Managing Partner of Blockchain Capital, the General Partner of Crypto Currency Partners funds. Bart Stephens has also been a Managing Partner of Stephens Investment Management, LLC (SIM). Stephens Investment Management is a family owned and operated hedge fund and venture capital firm. Bart and his brother and Co-Founder Brad invented the term and pioneered “Nanocap” investing – venture capital style investing in the public markets focused on sub micro-cap equities.
Bart has a background as both an operating entrepreneur and a venture capitalist. Prior to co-founding SIM, Bart was Executive Vice President, Venture Capital for Ivanhoe Capital Corporation (ICC), an international investment firm.
Before joining ICC, Bart was a founding investor and Head of Corporate & Business Development for Oncology.com. Oncology.com grew to become the internet’s largest cancer-related website before being sold to Pharmacia (now Pfizer) in 2001.
Prior to Oncology.com, Bart spent more than two years with E*TRADE, an early internet innovator in online financial services. While at E*TRADE, he held senior positions focused on product marketing, business development, and corporate development. Bart earned a BA degree in Political Science from Princeton University. While at Princeton, his academic work focused on the intersection of information technology and national security issues.
W. Bradford Stephens, Managing Partner, and Co-founder
Brad Stephens is a Founder and Managing Partner of Blockchain Capital, the General Partner of Crypto Currency Partners funds.
Brad has also been a Managing Partner of Stephens Investment Management, which he co-founded in 2002. His diverse background in domestic and international finance includes sell-side securities analysis, hedge fund management, venture capital and family office management. Prior to co-founding SIM, Brad worked as the senior analyst at Fidelity Ventures, the venture capital arm of Fidelity Investments. At Fidelity, Brad focused on the areas of Internet Security and New Media, leading investments into e-Security, Sanctum, and Managed Objects. He also founded Fidelity’s Biometric Consortium, a cutting edge collaboration of all Fidelity’s business units designed to explore, pilot and implement biometric security systems within Fidelity and eventually its consumer clients.
Brad also worked as a research analyst in CSFB’s Technology Group, specializing in Internet Security and Internet infrastructure software. While at CSFB, Brad helped raise over $1.3 billion for companies under coverage. Prior to working at CSFB, Brad worked as a research analyst at Furman Selz (later acquired by ING Barings), where he co-founded their Internet Research Group and co-authored the first financial industry piece on Internet Security.
Brad has a bachelor of arts degree from Duke University where he was an economics major with an emphasis on China. This work included direct venture capital experience in Beijing, where he helped seed-finance SRS, the first technology venture investment into China, which later became Sina.com (Nasdaq: SINA). Brad also sits on the board of IMI Exchange, the global leader in virtual goods exchange, based out of Seoul, Korea.
Spencer Bogart, Managing Director and Head of Research
Spencer Bogart is a Managing Director and the Head of Research for Blockchain Capital, the General Partner of Blockchain Capital’s venture funds. Spencer is a fundamental investment analyst with a rare combination of deep experience analyzing cryptocurrencies as well as traditional equity opportunities.
Prior to joining Blockchain Capital, Spencer was a Vice President at Needham & Company, where he authored Wall Street’s first industry report highlighting the use-cases, companies, and potential of blockchain technology. He was also the most active Bitcoin analyst on Wall Street writing detailed reports and research on Bitcoin’s fundamental value proposition, price forecast, and technical advancements. Aside from leading all research efforts related to Bitcoin and Blockchain during his time at Needham & Company, Spencer also covered public SaaS, FinTech, and Internet companies authored reports on those sectors, and issued price targets on companies under coverage.
Prior to Needham & Company, Spencer cut his teeth in the startup world where he helped build a first-of-its-kind proprietary research platform for analyzing Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), which was later acquired by FactSet.
Given his rare combination of skillsets and history of actively publishing reports, Spencer is widely cited throughout the Bitcoin and Blockchain industry and is a regular speaker at industry and startup events. Spencer is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and earned his B.A. in Business Economics from University of California, Santa Barbara.
JoAnne Lauer, Director of Operations
JoAnne Lauer is Director of Operations for Blockchain Capital. She draws from over 30 years in financial services and educational organizations, generating growth in her roles spanning leadership, operations, relationship management, and professional training. JoAnne plays a strategic role at Blockchain Capital in managing operations, systems and resources, from investor relations and investment execution to legal & regulatory compliance.
Prior to Blockchain Capital, JoAnne was the Global Program Director for two international executive leadership and communications firms before founding her own professional coaching and consulting practice.
JoAnne was also VP, Investor Relations & Regulatory Affairs for Belvedere Capital, the first private equity firm to become a bank holding company, where she managed multiple complex regulatory relationships, coordinated fundraising, and managed all investor, portfolio company and outsourced legal and accounting relationships, as well as the administrative team.
JoAnne earned her B.A. in Business Management, Human Resources and Organizational Development from Sonoma State University, and is a certified professional coach.
Jeremy Gardner, Entrepreneur in Residence
Jeremy Gardner is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Blockchain Capital. He has been involved in the blockchain sector since 2013 and has founded several successful ventures in the industry.
In early 2014, Jeremy founded what is now known as the Blockchain Education Network (BEN). What began as a small hodgepodge of “bitcoin clubs”, quickly exploded into a global network of student organizations, spanning every continent, over thirty countries, and nearly four hundred schools today. Jeremy still serves as chairman of the board.
In late 2014, Jeremy co-founded Augur, a decentralized prediction market platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. Jeremy traveled the world, raising awareness for Augur. This culminated in the first “ICO” on Ethereum for Augur’s native token, REP, raising $5.2 million. Today, REP’s market capitalization hovers around $400 million, with Augur planning to launch in summer 2017.
Since joining Blockchain Capital, Jeremy has helped various portfolio companies navigate the industry, and bolstered their operations and marketing. He is also the editor-in-chief of Distributed, the only print magazine dedicated to blockchain technology.
